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The Seat Ibiza 6F is the best car in the low-medium range of the VAG group that no one knows about. So get ready to be amazed when the plate spins.

I don’t know what happened in the Catalonia factory, but the Seat Ibiza 6F is the most reliable car in the Skoda Fabia – Seat Ibiza – VW Polo trio. Plus, at the time of writing this, the Fabia started at 16,100 pounds, the Ibiza at 16,900 pounds, and the Polo at 19,100 pounds, so the Polo gets 3 “No”s and is evicted from the stage. Additionally, the reliability comparison applies only to the European version of the Seat Ibiza 6F because the international version was built in the same factory in Algeria together with the Fabia and Polo.

And then comes the knockout blow – the Seat Ibiza 6F is almost as big as the original Leon because these days, all cars are bombastic and inflated. It’s only 10 cm shorter but 4 cm wider than the original Leon (one of my favorite cars), so it’s no longer a washing machine on wheels from the past, present, or future. But overall, the Ibiza has been a successful car; it’s now a real alternative even to the Leon because now the Leon is a real alternative to the Touareg, and the Touareg is a real alternative to pre-surgery John Goodman.

Sure, it still remains the most attractive and sporty in the trio, but it couldn’t endanger the Polo, so it didn’t get any sport versions, with the Polo GTI being the only one with its 200 horsepower of rocketry. Meanwhile, the Ibiza 6F stops at a 1.5 TSI EVO with 150 horsepower, which nobody bought anyway because the 1.0 TSI is enough for 95% of Ibiza buyers. In other words, people who want an inexpensive car to drive around the city and not look like the designer had only a pencil and a ruler (Fabia).

Seat Ibiza 6F Engines

Petrol

• 1.0 MPI EA211 of 65, 75, and 80 horsepower – Well, it’s the base engine for Ibiza / Fabia / Polo and generally the entry-level cars in the VAG group. Like a 60-year-old, this engine doesn’t rev much and isn’t necessarily capable of hard work. Plus, it has a tendency to chugg down oil, much like a 60-year-old chuggs down on brandy. The quantity depends on the person and the engine.


• 1.0 TSI EA211 of 95, 110, and 115 horsepower – Essentially, it’s the same 1.0 MPI but with a  turbo and more power. It’s the only engine that realistically deserves a place in the Ibiza 6F and the only one available on the 2021+ facelift. Sure, it may also burn oil, but performance-wise, it’s adequate. Not wow. Not bad. Adequate.


• 1.5 TSI EA211 EVO of 150 horsepower – The sport version of the Ibiza which should’ve been the Ibiza Cupra, which nobody bought. Yes, it’s the 1.5 TSI EVO with it’s kangarooing issues because fun should be punished. Or something like that. In any case, the 1.0 TSI is the more adequate and sensible choice.

Diesel

1.6 TDI EA288 of 80, 95, and 115 horsepower – Last call, last ride, hurry to avoid missing the diesel train. Available only on the pre-facelift version from 2017 to 2021, this 1.6 TDI was the last diesel available in this class of cars. An engine at the end of it’s lifecycle, with most issues resolved, excellent for long journeys but bad in the city. Pay attention to the AdBlue system, dual-mass flywheel, and injectors if you buy it strictly for city driving. If you want a car for mixed use, then it’s decent. But for the city, do yourself a favor and get something else.

Seat Ibiza 6F Reliability Issues 

• It’s not an issue, but I feel the need to mention it. The 7-speed DSG automatic transmission often appears in the general issues section as being as good as beer spilled on the floor. However, the Ibiza received the DQ200 DSG with a dry clutch, which is the budget version of the DQ500 transmission. This DSG DQ200 DOES NOT HAVE ISSUES.


• The middle seat in the rear bench is not recommended by Seat because the seatbelt attachment works as well as a 60 year old who is 3 years away from retirement.


• It’s no longer the sporty car in the trio but only the one that looks the best. Yes, in the past, the Ibiza was a somewhat more sporty version, but today it’s just got the looks and that’s it. So if you want both looks and actual sportiness, better to go for the Fiesta.

Seat Ibiza 6F Verdict 

If you’re looking for a cheap and practical city car, then the Skoda Fabia is a better choice because on the used market the Fabia is consistently 2,000 to 3,000 pounds cheaper than the equivalent Ibiza. But if you’re looking for a cheap and practical city car that looks stylish and not drawn with a ruler and a pencil, then the Ibiza is worth considering. Especially since it’s the most reliable in the trio. Unfortunately, the looks are the only thing that has remained the strong selling point of the Ibiza because it seems that people these days are not as interested in performance. Just in driving the kids to kindergarten in style.

Which engines do I recommend? For petrol power the 1.0 TSI with 95 or 110 horsepower is sufficient and by far the most balanced engine for the Ibiza. For diesel, the 1.6 TDI with 95 horsepower, if you can find one.